POET

Byrd's poetry lives in a specific historical realm that is navigated with ease. It's charged with pain but doesn't rely on historic tragedy to exist. The context is present and palpable ~Greg Geffrard

Heather ‘Byrd’ Roberts was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago.

work focuses on the intersectionality between form and freedom - being black and a woman. A quilt stitched together shining a light on the best and worst parts of her experience being from the Southside of Chicago and beyond. Byrd’s poems are in lineage of Lucille Clifton, Ntozake Shange, and Gwendolyn Brooks. Her stories span from childhood epiphanies to unexpected lessons and celebrations. Each story tastes like ripe mangoes, cayenne pepper, or a eclectic combination of the two.​